BY
On 26th February 2016, President Poroshenko signed into being the law “On
Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the North
Atlantic Treaty Organisation on the status of NATO to Ukraine” – which finally
paves the way for a “permanent” NATO presence in Ukraine per the agreement
between Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg and President
Poroshenko signed on 22nd September 2015.
Thus it comes to pass that a “NATO Liaison Information and Documentation
Office” with full privileges, immunity and assistance provided to
diplomatic missions in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic
Relations of 1961 can now legally take up residence in Ukraine de facto
permanently.
De facto permanently, for it seems highly unlikely that NATO will decide to
close its Liaison Office (de facto Embassy) in Ukraine of its own volition
during the next few decades, and even less likely that any Ukrainian
politician/legislature would ask it to leave for at least a generation.
After all, there will be no return to normalcy with Russia for this
Ukrainian generation and only the retarded or naive could think otherwise.
Ergo whatever stresses and strains that may lay ahead in the NATO-Ukrainian
relationship, NATO will de facto be permanently on Ukrainian soil henceforth.
According to the Presidential Website, “the Agreement, provides for exemption from
taxes, duties and other taxes, quantitative restrictions on the activities of
the projects in Ukraine by financing NATO (in particular, this will involve the
import and export of goods, for the purchase of goods and services contracts
for the projects under the trust funds, scientific, educational and other
programs)” – notwithstanding the other usual diplomatic privileges
such as parking where you like and never paying the parking tickets.
A reasonable and sensible decision by both parties in reaching this
agreement it has to be said – for there is much more to NATO than its
collective military force. It is something of an achievement for Ukraine
to now have a NATO presence (de facto permanently) on its soil, for it means
that the NAC were in favour of the opening such an office – and that requires a
lot of “Yeahs” and absolutely no “Nays” (unanimous decisions only) from the NAC
members that take the political decisions.
Whatever the case, there will now permanently (de facto) be, if not “NATO
boots” on the ground in Ukraine, then certainly highly polished “NATO brogues
and suits” in Ukraine – complete with full Vienna Convention niceties.
It will be interesting to see who staffs the office!
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